For The Love Of Smile

Did you know that there are more than 700 species of bacteria mingling in your mouth? Some of these microscopic guests are polite and helpful. Others are unruly hooligans, trashing your gums and teeth. For Dr. Chrystle Cu, co-creator of Cocofloss, flossing those pearly whites is – and always has been – a non-negotiable. The other thing she’s not about to give in on is her commitment to running a sustainable business.

After years of working in the field of dentistry, she grew saddened and frustrated by her inability to get through to her patients on the importance of regular flossing and brushing. In a decision that would change her life and those seeking alternative oral care, she decided to channel her love for dentistry into other avenues. In 2013, she set out to fulfill her new mission of improving the world’s oral hygiene by creating an effective, motivating, and fun floss that people would be excited to use.

Colorful and attractive packaging was going to be critical to get the anti-flossers to notice and purchase her products.

Dr. Cu’s younger sister, Cat, was eager to step away from the grind of a career in finance, go her own way, and indulge her passions for art and design; Cat joined forces with her sister, and by 2015, Cocofloss was born.

In the early days of the business, the team was unsure how to measure their own environmental impact. With so many factors at play – including sustainability certifications, reporting, and environmentally friendly operational and waste management processes – it can be simply head-spinning figuring out where to start. The dynamic Cu sisters of Cocofloss tackled the hardest step in the very beginning: simply understanding the importance of caring for the planet and the necessity of including sustainability at the forefront of their business model.

When Cocofloss first started investing in sustainability, they already knew the general principles of reduce, reuse, recycle. They started on the product itself first. Cocofloss is made of recycled water bottles and infused with coconut oil, a natural and soothing antimicrobial. The aromas are carefully crafted in Italy from a combination of natural and synthetic ingredients; all are in full compliance with the strict E.U. regulations on fragrance allergens, and meet International Fragrance Association (IFRA) standards. Once the Cocofloss sisters were confident in their product makeup, they embarked on the next steps in their sustainability journey – a printer who could produce high-end, vibrant, and sustainable packaging.

Enter Moquin Press.

Moquin, a family-run print shop turned full-service print and packaging manufacturer, has been serving the San Francisco Bay Area for more than 35 years. With an eye on becoming a worldwide leader in sustainable and innovative packaging manufacturing, it is hyper-focused on investing in sustainable technology and materials in the service of being a reliable partner for its customers. Shared values being key to Cocofloss, they knew the partnership would be a good fit.

To help source the premium, uncoated paper to meet the company’s high sustainability standard, Moquin connected with Monadnock Paper Mills (MPM), the oldest continuously operating paper mill in the United States. Based out of Bennington, New Hampshire, the 200-year-old mill marries longevity with its high sustainability profile. All Monadnock materials are FSC Certified (FSC C018866), manufactured carbon-neutral (VERs) and made with 100% renewable Green-e certified wind-powered electricity (RECs) under a third-party certified ISO 14001 Environmental Management System.

Most paper suppliers and printers in the industry market themselves as sustainable because they have an FSC label on their product. While of course, many of these companies are in fact pursuing sustainable initiatives, it can be tough to weed out the ones who solely rely on that FSC label to check the proverbial box.

In an effort to provide a full package of sustainability, Moquin invests in equipment and material to help achieve its goal to be the most sustainable packaging printer in the world. Its latest innovation is Algae InkTM, an eco-friendlier alternative to traditional black ink which is made from carbon and generated from fossil fuels. Since nearly all packaging material contains black ink, it’s a worthwhile option to consider to boost sustainability efforts in the printing industry.

Sustainable supply chains leave all of the partners with many reasons to smile.